Archives for April 2013

The last day of the NCAA Championships have rolled into Pauley Pavilion. It’s a sad day for NCAA fans, as it marks the end of the season. But I bring the Danusia Francis fans good news: The Brit has warmed up both her aerial cartwheel sideways on the beam AND an aerial front walkover into her BHS LOSO full off. We shall see if her fellow competitors up their game, as well.

While we wait for the action to start, feel free to check out the start list on the UCLA site. I would copy and paste for you, my dear reader, but the list of vaulters is far too long.

Oh, Bridget Sloan is warming up on bars, and sadly, she is only doing a Ray–no Church release. Slacker! The gym gods have died.

The Cirque acrobats have taken to the floor. They are performing to Cold Play’s “Paradise.” All I can say is, one-handed handstands are pretty much the best thing in the entire world. It’s even better than the sticky bun waffle that I had this morning on Sunset Blvd at Waffle.

Spotted: Ivana Hong is in the stands on crutches, chatting with Sam Peszek. Like I said, the gym gods have died. If they hadn’t, Ivana would be in this beam final.

Fun fact, courtesy of the NCAA: The team starting NCAA Super Six competition on balance beam has won the NCAA title only three times (Utah 1995, Georgia 2005 and Florida 2013) in the 21-year history of the Super Six format.

The gymnasts are marching in… A small village of vaulters just stepped onto the floor. Alaina Johnson and Bridget Sloan walk in doing the GATOR CHOMP during the beam announcement. Danusia Francis walks in to a HUGE applause, as it should be, as Spanny would say.

Former gymnast Kyle Khou sings a frilly version of the National Anthem–lots of runs and falsetto.

Georgia Dabritz just warmed up a Comaneci on bars! #ThingsYouNeverSeeInNCAA Ooo! She’s bringing it today! I wonder what Bart Conner will say about it on air… Will he mention that he’s married to Nadia?

Vault

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Nice, high Yurchenko full. Sticks it cold. Feet are only slightly apart on the landing. 9.9167

Rheagan Courville of LSU: Yurchenko full. Feet slightly apart coming onto the table. Little hop back. 9.9250

Alaina Johnson of Florida: Feet an itsy bit straddled onto the table. Chest up on landing, but kind of drives her knees forward on the landing. I don’t know how the judges are going to differentiate between all these Yurchenko fulls… 9.8250

Kytra Hunter of Florida: AMANAR!

Psych! Yurchenko 1.5. A little off to the side and bounces off to the side. Knees not as extended as they could be on the twist, but most gymnasts doing more than a Yurchenko full have some form problems. 9.8500

Kaitlyn Clark of Alabama: A bit of leg separation onto the horse, and doesn’t absorb the landing on her Yurchenko full. 9.8750

My word! Someone needs to chuck a squat through! STAT! We need something new!

Lindsay Mable of Minnesota: Nice arms onto the table. Very clean in the air. Just a little bit of bounce on the landing. 9.9000

Brandie Jay of Georgia: Biggest V-ed legs thus far coming onto the table. Yurchenko 1.5. Shuffle on the landing. 9.8083

Chelsea Davis of Georgia: Another decent Yurchenko full. Chest a little forward on the landing and bounces forward on the landing. 9.7500

Dang, the judges are not playing around today! Chelsea’s vault would have been at least a 9.85 yesterday!

Leader after flight 1: Rheagan Courville of LSU: 9.9250

Kaelie Baer of UCLA: Another full-twisting Yurchenko. Little bit of straddle coming onto the horse. Lands with her feet closer than usual–still apart, but closer. Little bit of bounce on the landing, and hips were slightly turned. It shouldn’t top Rheagan Courville. 9.9083

Moriah Martin of Denver: Another full-twisting Yurchenko. Is someone keeping track of the number of FTYs? She’s leaning to one side coming onto the table. Lands a little short and quickly turns to the judges. 9.8250

Ashanee Dickerson of Florida: Another full-twisting Yurchenko. Straddled legs, as always. Sticks her vault and has her feet together. Chest a little bent over. 9.9000

Joanna Sampson of Michigan: Another full-twisting Yurchenko. She hulls it down the vault runway! These Michigan girls are QUICK! Good pop off table. Step back on the landing. 9.8583

Maliah Mathis of LSU: Yurchenko 1/2. A little hop forward. Decent, but nothing spectacular. If you are going to win with that vault, it needs to go 20 feet in the air and be DRILLED into the ground. 9.8667

Sarie Morrison of LSU: Another Yurchenko full. Legs together coming onto the table–which is nice to see. Doesn’t have the block that other gymnasts have. 9.8917

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: A good Yurchenko 1.5. Small stop on the landing, but once again, legs = not as cute as they could be in the air. 9.9250

Leaders after 2 flights: Diandra Milliner of Alabama and Rheagan Courville of LSU: 9.9250

Nicole Dayton of Stanford: Yurchenko 1/2. Small hop on the landing. Again, it’s going to be hard to win with that vault. It needs to be gymnastics unicorn good… 9.8583

Lauren Beers of Alabama: Yet another Yurchenko-full. Slight bend on the table. Small hop on the landing. Chest was up, though. 9.8750

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: A lovely Yurchenko-full, but a hop on the landing. Vanessa finishes her routine by waving to the crowd. A beautiful senior moment. I hope the photographers got that! 9.9000

Lindsey Cheek of Georgia: Yet another Yurchenko-full. Step on the landing. 9.8250

Madison Mooring of Oklahoma: STICKS her Yurchenko half. But it’s also off to the side. Should be interesting to see what the judges do with that. 9.7917

Lichelle Wong of UCLA: Yurchenko full. Legs apart coming onto the table. Head at table height when coming into the landing and has to pike down. 9.7833

Tory Wilson of Utah: Slight leg separation coming onto the table and a bounce back on the landing. 9.8917

Emily Wong of Nebraska: HUGE pop off the table on her Yurchenko. Sticks the landing–feet a little bit apart, though. Probably best pop off the table. 9.8833

Vault Final:

1T. Diandra Milliner: 9.9250
1T. Rheagan Courville 9.9250
3. Olivia Courtney 9.9167

Bars

Georgia Dabritz of Utah: Catches her Comaneci! Yeah! I live for the upgrades in event finals! A little short on her next handstand. Little past a 1/2 turn on her blind change. Last handstand before dismount is good. Sticks her full-twisting double tuck. 9.8917

Nansy Damianova of Utah: Short on her first handstand. Feet come a little apart on her back swing from her Maloney. A decent Tkatchev. We should see higher ones. Short of handstand on her kip cast before her dismount. Double tuck to a small hop. 9.8125

Sarie Morrison of LSU: Lots of push on her hecht mount. Little separation of her legs on her Jaeger. Hits her bail to handstand. Full-twisting double tuck and a small step on the landing. 9.8250

I feel like it’s the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. I can hear Elfi and Tim saying, “You gotta stick those landings.” If you stick your bar dismount, you very well could be on the podium.

Leader after flight 1: Georgia Dabritz of Georgia: 9.8917

Bridget Sloan of Florida: Really sends her Ray release out there. So much POWAAAAA! Really has to hold her toes out to make her kip cast after the release–gets to a nice handstand before her bail to handstand. Sticks her double layout. With that stick, she should move into first.… Yup, 9.9000

Erica Brewer of Oklahoma: A little arch on her toe-on to handstand. One handstand was a bit short. Sticks her double layout dismount. It’s a good routine, but nothing really stood out. Oklahoma, like Romania, has pretty standard bar routines, but the Sooners definitely swing bars better than the Romanians. 9.8875

Mackenzie Caquatto of Florida: Her Maloney isn’t really smooth to the high bar–very whip-lashy. The rest was good until the dismount–Big step back on her full-twisting double tuck. In order to win, she needed to stick and maybe throw her Jaeger or her Church… 9.8875

Leaders after 2 flights: Bridget Sloan of Florida and Georgia Dabritz of Utah: 9.9000

For some reason, Georgia Dabritz’s score changed online between flights…

Alaina Johnson of Florida: Good opening handstand. Another BIG Ray release for a Gator. A little short on her kip cast handstand. Double layout dismount to a stick. Compared to Bridget, her routine was a little sharper, a little more dynamic. Alaina also hasn’t competed as much as Bridget… 9.9125

P.S. Yes, Alaina Johnson and Bridget Sloan pretty much did the same routine in finals. That’s like wearing the same dress as another girl to prom.

Chelsea Davis of Georgia: Great Tkatchev. A little tight on her handstands–not extending out as much as she could. A little archy on both her bail to handstand and her cast before her dismount–trying to compensate for the earlier handstands. Full-twisting double tuck. 9.8500

Randii Wyrick of LSU: Way past handstand on her giant full, and icky flexed feet on her Tkatchev. Big step back on her double layout. 9.8000

Rebecca Clark of Oklahoma: A decent routine until she moves back to the high bar after her bail to handstand. Short of handstand on her kip cast. A toe-full–nice to see that skill–very little pirouetting today. Small step on her double tuck landing. 9.8250

Bars Final:

1. Alaina Johnson: 9.9125
2T. Bridget Sloan 9.9000
2T. Georgia Dabritz 9.9000

 

Beam: Flight 1

Kayla Williams of Alabama: Jumps onto the beam. Switch side–legs a little lopsided in the straddle. Punch front–better than yesterday, but lifts her left leg on the landing. BHS LOSO–dead on. Beat jump to Popa-ish. Feet made it around, but shoulders didn’t. Full-turn. Sticks her 1.5 with her feet apart. 9.8375

Hanna Nordquist of Minnesota: Cat leap to switch side. Bends over a little on the landing of her switch-side. Aerial cartwheel to LOSO–right on. Someone needs to get this girl an Elite Sportz Band–instead of that chunky back brace. Little bounce on her aerial cartwheel to full off. Feet a little apart, too. 9.8875

Mackenzie Caquatto of Florida: BHS LOSO–very minor adjustment. Aerial front walkover to Korbut–a little hesitant going into the Korbut. Simple full turn. Switch leap to split jump to beat jump–she looks super tight on the beam–not fluid. Sticks her double full, but lands with her chest down–fights to stay upright and not to put her hand down. 9.8500

Michelle Shealy of Iowa State: Aerial front walkover to LOSO–lacking a bit of amplitude. Looks a little nervous coming out of her full turn. Grimaces and bends over a bit on her jump series. Gainer LOSO–no problems there. Small hop on her back 1.5. 9.8375

Katie Zurales of Michigan: Her legs are quivering before her acro series. No problems on her aerial cartwheel to LOSO. Handstand-ish to swing down. (I wish that she hit a legit cross handstand before that swing down–it would set her apart more and raise her to an old Soviet level of awesomeness.) Sticks her double full off the beam. 9.8875

Leaders after Flight 1: Katie Zurales and Hanna Nordquist 9.8875

Floor: Flight 1

Marissa King of Florida: High double layout–chest up, drags front foot just a bit… And here we go, GATOR CHOMP! Front layout to front full–drags back foot just a bit on lunge. Gator fans are clapping along in the stands. Double pike–cleanest landing of the routine. 9.8875

Bridget Sloan of Florida: Praying for a piked full-in–it was her best skill ever. Front double full–a little short on rotation, but hops into her lunge. Gator fans clapping along. Double pike–mighty close to the corner, but stays in. Sticks her final pass, but it’s only a back 1.5 to front layout. She probably should have upgraded that. 9.9000 Alas, no piked full-in.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Spot on for her full-twisting double pike. Her second pass is a double pike. Drags her front foot slightly. Cheats her switch side to popa slightly. Back 1.5 to a tucked Barani–definitely not planned. 9.8000

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: Sticks her Arabian double. No lunge needed. Front layout to front full–picks heel up on lunge. A little hairography before her final pass–“I whip my hair back and forth,” in the words of Willow Smith. Double pike could have been a little cleaner. 9.9250

Emily Wong of Nebraska: Sticks her triple twist. Steps back to accentuate it. Split is not quite high enough on her leap pass. Front full to front layout to a stag jump–not Vanessa Atler good, but definitely not an elite pass that lands, pauses, and then jumps… Finishes with a double full. 9.9125

She’s a little firecracker out there–with all her shimmies and stuff. Dan Kendig, good job recruiting this one!

Katherine Grable of Arkansas: Arabian double front with a some kind of crazy cowboying. Good landing, though. Good height on her leap series. Back 1.5 to front full to Barani stepout–Chest is low on her Barani step out. Double pike–tiniest of foot slides on the landing. 9.8875

Leader after flight 1: Diandra Milliner 9.9250

 

Beam: Flight 2

Erica Brewer of Oklahoma: A big gasp comes from the audience as Erica wobbles on her BHS LOSO LOSO. Arches back to save it on. Looks really scared going into her jump sequence–not enough split–and she’s off. Double tuck–chest was a little low on the landing, but good on her for doing the only double tuck in the beam competition. 9.275

Bridget Sloan of Florida: An adjustment on her BHS LOSO. Full turn is spot on. Aerial front walkover to BHS. Switch leap to split jump to beat jump–You could see that she was really pushing herself to hit those splits! Me likey! Aerial cartwheel is on. STICKS her double full dismount. Feet a bit apart, though. 9.9000

Marissa King of Florida: Stretched kickover. BHS layout to two feet. Huge wobble–leg up in the air. Bummer! Finishes strong with a double full. 9.7875

Danusia Francis of UCLA: The crowd ERUPTS for her sideways aerial! YESSSSSS!!!! Everyone–even the other teams–is cheering! THIS is what we want to see in event finals! OH, NO! She fell on her aerial front walkover. She was hoping to connect that to her dismount. Finishes with a BHS LOSO to a full off. 9.3250

Danusia receives a standing ovation from the Oklahoma crowd and the UCLA crowd! Well deserved! Gym fans admire the risk!

Beam Final Results:

1. Bridget Sloan 9.9000
2T. Katie Zurales 9.8875
2T. Hanna Nordquist 9.8875

 

Floor: Flight 2

Lindsay Mable of Minnesota: Double pike. Lovely pointed toes, but I’m not sure that the pass has enough difficulty to win. Though, Hollie Vise won with that pass a few years back… Rudi to a straddle jump to punch front–no problems there. Back 1.5 to front layout. Picks up her heel on the landing. 9.9000

Joanna Sampson of Michigan: Nice, high double layout. Front full to front layout. Big lift on her double pike. The tumbling was great! I’d like to see her move out of the big bass music and do something with more finesse. That said, what counts is the tumbling in event finals. It could be good enough to move her ahead… 9.9375

Nansy Damianova of Utah: Some great tango music–nice change of pace from the big bass music. Opens with a nice double tuck–knees together. Tries to stick it cold, but small shuffle on the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout. And to conclude, double pike. 9.8750

Nothing against any of these girls, but I think everyone’s waiting for some kind of surprise from these girls! These passes–back 1.5’s and Rudi’s and double pikes–have been rather compulsory… The fans in the stands want to see new tumbling! They want three HUGE tumbling passes! Where’s Jessica Savona?

Rheagan Courville of LSU: Cowboyed double Arabian and somewhat lopsided again. Big step forward on the landing. Front through to a double tuck–much better landing. Ends with a double pike. Her floor music, “Sail” by AWOLNATION, is so darn catchy; I’ll be humming this song for the rest of the day, and the lyrics are so, so, so deep… “I made it in my mind because / I blame it on my A.D.D. baby.” 9.8125

Alina Weinsten of Illinois: Lands a little short on her full-twisting double tuck and bounces on the landing. Rudi to a LOSO. Ends with a double tuck. Good landing. I LOVE the ending to this floor routine–the music is so dramatic, and the way she throws herself on the ground is almost Khorkina-esque. 9.7500

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Her RO BHS is so light going into her Arabian double. Good landing. Back 1.5 punch Barani to LOSO. Lands short on her double pike, and there goes her chance of winning. But it was a lovely routine, nonetheless. 9.7750

Floor Final Results:

1. Joanna Sampson: 9.9375
2. Diandra Milliner 9.9250
3. Emily Wong 9.9125

 

Related Links:

Quick Hits: The Super Six
Quick Hits: NCAA Semifinals – Session 2
Quick Hits: NCAA Semifinals – Session 1
Quick Hits: 2013 NCAA Podium Training

Latest Podcast:

Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis

Today is the big day! It’s the day when, as we are told every year, the team who “wants it more” will inevitably win… To refresh your memory, here are the scores from yesterday:

1. Florida 197.775
2. Alabama 197.350
3. LSU 197.325
4T. UCLA 197.200
4T. Oklahoma 197.200
6. Georgia 197.150

Now forget about those scores! Because none of that matters! All the teams start anew, so, as they say, “it’s really anyone’s game.”

Anyway, let’s forget about the media speak, and while we wait for the meet to start, let’s improve our Gymnastics Trivial Pursuit knowledge…

A Few Factoids:

• Among the competing athletes today, there are three World Champions: Bridget Sloan, 2009 World All-Around Champion, Kayla Williams, 2009 World Vault Champion, and Shayla Worley, 2007 World Team Champion.
• In addition, Ashley Priess was part of the U.S. 2006 World Team, which won silver, and Mackenzie Caquatto was part of the U.S. 2010 World Team, which won silver.
• Yesterday, the Oklahoma Sooners set the highest semifinal score in school history with a 197.200.
• Yesterday’s 49.500 on bars was the Sooners’ highest event total on bars for the team.
• Yesterday’s 49.525 on bars was Florida’s highest team score on the event at NCAA Championships.
• This is Florida’s 11th trip to the Super Six.
• For both Georgia and LSU, this is their first trip to the Super Six since 2009.
• For LSU, this is only their third appearance in the Super Six. Previous trips: 2008 and 2009.

Rotation 1:

Vault: Oklahoma; Bars: UCLA; Beam: Florida; Floor: Georgia

Taylor Spears of Oklahoma: Full-twisting Yurchenko. Head was below table height on the flip and has to pike down.

Rachel Spicer of Florida: Hits her BHS LOSO. Little wobble on full turn. Cat leap and pauses before gainer LOSO. A little hesitant on her leap sequence connection. Little slide back on gainer full dismount. A decent starting routine.

Kaylan Earls of Georgia: Double pike. Cheats leap pass a bit. Pulls too hard on double tuck and takes a big step back. Did I hear Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes on” in there?

Bridget Sloan of Florida: On the show, she told us that she likes to sing a song while she does beam. I wonder what she will be singing today. Nails her BHS LOSO into her trademark arms–right wrist slightly bent. Makes a nervous face coming out of her front aerial but smiles after her BHS. Little crooked on aerial cartwheel. STICKS her double full.

Madison Mooring: Yurchenko half. Just a little hop on the landing.

Christa Tanella of Georgia: Classic Tanella. Hits all her passes. She’s so solid, and her last pass is to-die-for–It’s a front layout to a Rudi. She has such good WOGA front tumbling technique.

Brie Olson of Oklahoma: Full-twisting Yurchenko–little bit of knees in the air and a big hop back on the landing.

Ashanee Dickerson of UCLA: Falls on her BHS LOSO! Oh noes! She looks like she is fighting back the tears as she finishes her routine. NAILS her double tuck.

Meanwhile, Sophina DeJesus almost loses her teeth on her Gienger–super close to the bar. Finishes the routine strong, and of course, the UCLA fans love it. Big cheers!

Maile’ana Kanewa of Oklahoma: Beautiful Yurchenko full. Chest up on her landing.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: She looked off from the beginning. Her punch front mount was super crooked, but she held onto it. Then, she fell on her BHS LOSO! Two falls for Florida… Gets back up and sticks her double tuck. Good for her for finishing strong… Even Hills’s gymnasts make mistakes. 🙁

Haley Scaman of Oklahoma: Big step forward on landing of Scaman’s 1.5.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: A little archy on her first handstand on low bar. Missed her handstand on her bail to handstand. Sticks her double layout.

Noel Couch of Georgia: Full-twisting double pike–a bit of form in the air. She’s dancing to Star Wars, and the Georgia fans have light sabers. Who said gym meets weren’t fun? Whip through to double full. Double pike.

Brandie Jay of Georgia: Full-twisting double back–doesn’t even grab her knees on the tuck. Major badass points to her. Front double full to punch front. Out of bounds. And here comes the Sugarhill Gang’s Apache… Tonto, Jump on it! Jump on it! Double tuck to finish.

Marissa King of Florida: Stretched kickover. BHS layout to two feet. Little wobble on her full turn. Double full–slight shuffle on the landing.

UCLA: 49.375
Oklahoma: 49.125
Georgia: 49.050
Florida: 48.875

 

Rotation 2

Vault: Georgia; Bars: LSU; Beam: UCLA; Floor: Alabama

Chelsea Davis of Georgia: A bit of an NCAA stick on her Yurchenko full. Turns to the judges quickly.

Kaelie Baer of UCLA: Crooked switch side–one foot significantly higher than the other. Side somi into cover-up arm movements because she is slightly off balance. BHS LOSO to full off. A little crooked–Her right foot was dangerously close to the side of the beam as she was taking off for the full.

Lora Leigh Frost of Alabama: Double layout. Jump tuck double, and doesn’t really seem to know when to stop pulling–covers with a bounce. Legs not 180 on her switch side… Jumping over to vault now.

Cat Hires of Georgia: Drilled her Yurchenko full.

Brittany Rogers of Georgia: Also STICKS her Yurchenko 1.5. A bit of form in the air, but the landing made up for it.

Sophina DeJesus of UCLA: Aerial front walkover, and a pretty big pause before her BHS LOSO. HUGE smile after her acro series. Front full off the end and a hop forward on the landing.

Lauren Beers of Alabama: Opens with a double layout. Alabama is sending a message–putting two double layouts back to back. They’re letting the judges know that they aren’t doing watered-down routines. Double tuck–a little off balance but adjusts in the lunge.

Brandie Jay of Georgia: Yurchenko full. Twists a little soon off the table.

Randii Wyrick of LSU: Short on handstand on bail to handstand, but other than that, a really good routine.

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Touches her hand on the beam on her BHS LOSO. Front kickover… and she’s off. She is visibly fighting back the tears. Trying to get it together before her double tuck. Sticks it.

Sarah DeMeo of Alabama: Overrotates her Arabian double front. HUGE step forward. Back 1.5 to front layout. And now we’re on the Eivissa club circuit with this music. Ends well.

Sarie Morrison of LSU: Little close to the bar on her Jaeger. Nice Bail to handstand. Good cast handstand on the high bar before her dismount. Step on landing of full-twisting double tuck.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: Nice full turn. Huge wobble on her Onodi. Aerial front walkover. No problems on that. BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split jump to beat jump–if the judges are being picky, they could take a deduction for lack of split on her split jump. Sticks her double full dismount.

UCLA: 98.550
Georgia: 98.250
Alabama: 49.500
LSU: 49.200
Oklahoma: 49.125
Florida: 48.875

 

Rotation 3:

Vault: Alabama; Bars: Oklahoma; Beam: LSU; Floor: Florida

Kayla Williams of Alabama: Full-twisting Yurchenko. A small step back on her landing.

Jamie Shisler of Florida: Double pike (bit of flexed feet). Double tuck and falls… The third fall for Florida. Le sigh.

Bridget Sloan of Florida: She needs to hit! Will she? Hits her front double full. Double pike–nice landing. Perfect landing on her back 1.5 to front layout. That should get the momentum going in Florida’s favor…

Kaleigh Dickson of LSU: One-handed BHS to LOSO. Big wobble on the landing. Switch leap–back leg a little low–to straddle 1/4. Front handspring. Gainer pike dismount. A little close to the beam.

Rebecca Clark of Oklahoma: Good Maloney. Good handstand on her bail to handstand. A little past on her giant 1/1, but sticks her double tuck.

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: A little off-center on her Yurchenko 1.5 and takes a step back.

Ashanée Dickerson of Florida: That routine was called “Redemption.” Last time she was up, she had a fall… Sticks Arabian. Front through to a double tuck. Little short on her double pike.

Erica Brewer of Oklahoma: Generally speaking, Oklahoma’s bar routines have been a smidge short of handstand, and Brewer’s opening handstand is no exception. Also misses bail to handstand. Good kip cast handstand before her dismount. Sticks her double layout.

Lloimincia Hall of LSU: Switch side–foot a little low. BHS LOSO. Hips turned a little on the landing and has a brief wobble. Double tuck dismount.

Brie Olson of Oklahoma: Oklahoma really looks nervous on bars. Not really going for those handstands. Several slightly missed ones in this routine. Sticks her full-twisting double layout.

Looking at the scores… The judges don’t seem to have a problem with all the short handstands.

Marissa King of Florida: Lovely double layout. Whoa, there’s a thigh slap before her Gator chomp. How have I never noticed that? Has that always been there? Nails her other two landings.

Rheagan Courville of Florida: Jumping in the middle of this routine… Nails her standing Arabian. Despite the long pause before doing the standing Arabian. Aerial front walkover to Sissone. Slight hop on her gainer pike.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: Now, that’s what we expect from a Hills Angel. Trusty and reliable with power tumbling. Opens with a double layout. Then does a Back 1.5 to front layout to flyspring to Shushunova. Her double tuck without her hands is so impressive, and unlike yesterday, she has plenty of height.

Bridgette Caquatto of Florida: Hits her front double full to punch front. Double full was spot on, and so was her double pike. Impressive for not really competing this season until Regionals… Good to see a freshman not cave under pressure!

Alabama: 98.750
Florida: 98.600
UCLA: 98.550
Oklahoma: 98.500
LSU: 98.325
Georgia: 98.250

 

Rotation 4

Vault: Florida; Bars: Georgia; Beam: Oklahoma; Floor: UCLA

Alaina Johnson of Florida: Little bit of form, huge block though. Little hop on the landing. True sticks on vault are hard to find today.

Lauren Alexander of Oklahoma: Her flexibility is insane. Little wobble on her jump series. Also back leg was at an in-between position–on the jump. Sticks her gainer full.

Marissa King of Florida: Hop forward on the Tsuk 1.5.

Brandie Jay of Georgia: Good opening handstand. Little separation on her Maloney. Short on her cast handstand. Medium goodness on her Markelov. Sticks her full-twisting double tuck.

Ashanee Dickerson of Florida: Leg separation onto the table. Big hop back on the landing. We’ve got some premature cheering in the Gator bullpen. Cheering before her feet hit the ground.

Shayla Worley of Georgia: The first couple of handstands were a little short. Not opening her shoulders all the way. The rest were better. Her Tkatchev was lovely. Small step back on her double layout dismount.

Brittany Rogers of Georgia: I think she just did the best Ricna that I’ve seen her do this weekend. Handstands were generally good. Full-twisting double tuck. Step back.

Erica Brewer of Oklahoma: Opens with a GymCastic favorite: BHS LOSO LOSO. She’s on. Good full turn. Step back on her double tuck. Was that the first non-stuck dismount for Oklahoma? Yesterday in the press conference, KJ Kindler said that she wanted her team to work on sticks.

Madison Mooring of Oklahoma: Oklahoma is taking an Alabama approach to their lineup: They’re all like, we are going to show you how awesome we are. Just as Alabama put two double layouts back-to-back on floor, Oklahoma has put two BHS LOSO LOSOs back-to-back. Madison’s was good. Little bobble on aerial walkover. Switch leap to straddle 1/4. Little wobble on the full turn. BHS BHS 1.5 off. Small shuffle on the landing.

Taylor Spears of Oklahoma: Struggles with her Onodi to beat jump. Break in between the skills. Aerial walkover to Korbut. BHS to gainer full off the side. Small shuffle.

Sydney Sawa of UCLA: She’s the last gymnast competing… Double tuck. A tad bit short on her landing. Lunges forward. Double pike–landing was much better. Not sure whether it was a good idea to put Sawa after Courtney… Routine composition is very similar–two passes into an extended floor sequence–but they probably wanted to bump Sawa’s floor score up a bit. Nails her last pass, and the UCLA fans are waving their pom poms and holding up signs.

Florida: 148.100
UCLA: 148.000
Oklahoma: 147.975
Georgia: 147.450
Alabama: 98.750
LSU: 98.325

 

Rotation 5

Vault: UCLA; Bars: Alabama; Beam: Georgia; Floor: LSU

Fashion Alert: A man is wearing a short that says, “Every dad says their daughter is beautiful, but my daughter is a DAWG. And I’m proud of it.”

Becca Alexin of Alabama: Short on her cast handstand. Good Shaposhnikova. Nice Pak salto. Good cast handstand before dismount. Small step on landing.

It’s so nice to see Pak saltos… The bail to handstand is about as creative as a paint-by-numbers work of art.

Sarah Persinger of Georgia: Aerial walkover–doesn’t connect her jump out of it. Thinks about it, but no. Just no. BHS LOSO–nice. Switch leap to split 1/4. Sticks her back 1.5 off the beam.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Good Ray release. Nice cast handstand. Nice cast handstand before her giants into a double layout. Good landing.

Alyssa Pritchett of UCLA: Her arms are always bent onto the table, but this was straighter than yesterday. Crooked off the table. Lands short, pretends to stick and turns to the judges–that, my friends, is the definition of an NCAA stick.

Lichelle Wong of UCLA: Good arms on the table. Nice, high Yurchenko full.

Lindsey Cheek of Georgia: BHS LOSO. Huge wobble. Does a Matrix-style back arch to save it. Nice aerial cartwheel into her moon walk. It’s a shame that she’s not competing at the same time as Jessica Savona, who has Michael Jackson music. Sticks her gainer full.

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Great counter rotation on her Tkatchev. Right into her Pak–Not as smooth as yesterday. Markelov is about the same height as yesterday–not as impressive as King’s. Double layout and a hop on the landing.

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Nice high Yurchenko full. Slight step back with one foot.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: Vanessa came onto the table too high, but still goes for the stick. Falls to her hands and knees.

Rheagan Courville of LSU: A bit of cowboying on her Arabian double. Also, sideways again. It’s like lopsided ball. The rest of the routine is lovely–double tuck and double pike to finish. Judges aren’t being too picky about the tuck positions, it seems.

Shayla Worley of Georgia: BHS LOSO. Super crooked. Left foot on the side of the beam, but stays on. Full turn. Nice Kochetkova, but does not connect it to her jump. Split jump. Small step on her gainer full again. She should be sticking!

Lloimincia Hall of LSU: This routine is so much better in a packed stadium. She feeds off the energy of the crowd. Nice double layout. Front full to front layout. Dead on. Losing the audience’s attention in the middle part, but once the Drum line kicks in, everyone is loving them some Lloimincia. Nails her double tuck to finish.

Kaylan Earls of Georgia: Over-rotates her double tuck and has to take a big step back.

UCLA: 197.100
Georgia: 196.675
Alabama: 148.125
Florida: 148.100
Oklahoma: 147.975
LSU: 147.875

 

Rotation 6

Vault: LSU; Bars: Florida; Beam: Alabama; Floor: Oklahoma

Bianca Dancose-Giambattiste of Florida: Good handstands, but a little shuffle back on the landing of her double layout.

Marissa King of Florida: A little past handstand on her bail to handstand. Her Markelov was not as high as usual. Double layout to a stick.

Kaitlyn Clark of Alabama: BHS LOSO. Dead on. Front kickover. Split 3/4. Back leg was a little low on that. Back 1.5 off.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: Just a little close on her Hindorff. Kelli Hill really knew how to teach that skill, didn’t she? Shoulders could be more open in her handstands. Sticks her full-twisting double tuck.

Kayla Williams of Alabama: Huge switch-side to open. Her fluffy beam dance is really sharp and precise. Bends over on her punch front. That was giving her trouble all week. Nails her BHS LOSO. Lifts her leg on the landing of her Popa–doesn’t make it all the way around. Hop on her 1.5 dismount.

Mackenzie Caquatto of Florida: Her bail to handstand was brilliant! Nice full-twisting double tuck. I definitely could use more of Mackenzie on the bars. Seriously, that routine could win an award for shortest bar routine. If you blink, you might miss it.

Sarah DeMeo of Alabama: Lovely Flyspring. Falls on her BHS LOSO, though… Good double pike with a hop back.

We need to give an award to Oklahoma’s beam squad: Unlike the double back-ers of other teams, their double back-ers were able to do a BHS LOSO without falling off. Props to them!

Alaina Johnson of Florida: Her Ray is beautiful. Sticks her double layout and goes into a huge archy NCAA salute. I can’t imagine that salute would feel good with stress fractures in your back…

Florida’s shoots to high bar are beautiful. Most people ignore them, but the Gators are exceptional at straddling and then throwing their feet behind them to get momentum going into their kips.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: After a fall, I couldn’t think of a better competitor to go up. Her routine is hard, but she’s so reliable. Great BHS LOSO LOSO. And that Barani! Muah! Exquisite! Back 1.5 to a stick!

Haley Scaman of Oklahoma: Huge double layout. Nice Rudi to LOSO. Big bounce back on her double tuck.

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Her aerial walkover to her Korbut is continuous. Her switch leap to straddle jump is precise. You can really see that she’s extending as much as she can. Sticks her gainer full dismount. Great routine to end on for a senior.

Sorry, that these last quick hits were so spotty… I was distracted by the fact that history was being made…

Florida: 197.575
Oklahoma: 197.375
Alabama: 197.350
UCLA: 197.100
LSU: 197.050
Georgia: 196.675

…AND GATOR CHOMP! To count a fall and win–that deserves a Gator Chomp! And to make history by becoming the 5th team to win the NCAA Championship–that deserves ANOTHER Gator Chomp!

As Florida is announced as the National Championships, each gymnast’s name is announced, and Bridget Sloan gets a huge cheer! Though a freshman, she was a rock of the team. She deserves a high five or a kiss or something…

A few quotes from Florida:

“Go out there and do what you love.”–Rhonda Faehn‘s advice to her girls after beam

“This was an absolute dream come true… I can’t believe we made history.”–Marissa King

“Bars, Beam, Floor–Bring it!”–Bridget Sloan on tomorrow’s event finals

Related Links:

Quick Hits: NCAA Semifinals – Session 2
Quick Hits: NCAA Semifinals – Session 1
Quick Hits: 2013 NCAA Podium Training

In the first NCAA press conference, Valorie Kondos-Field said that this semifinal would be a “blood bath.” Time will tell if she is right…

Here are the teams and their rankings:

Oklahoma (2)
Alabama (3)
UCLA (6)
Michigan (7)
Utah (10)
Arkansas (11)

And here are the individuals who will be competing in the all-around: Brittany Harris of Oregon State, Chelsea Tang of Oregon State, Melanie Shaffer of Ohio State, Bri Guy of Auburn, Caitlin Atkinson of Auburn, and Lauren Rogers of Washington.

A few quotes from the first session:

“It was a blessing in disguise.”–Bridget Sloan on her experience at Olympic Trials

“We made sure we had the absolute minimum of mistakes.”–Bridget Sloan on Florida’s performance today.

“It taught our team to handle extreme adversity, and we were not rattled by anything. Since we were able to adapt to something like that, if we had mistakes in a practice or in a meet or something changed at the last minute, it really has been able to make us calm and not overreact.”–Shayla Worley on the coaching situation and her mental toughness this season

“When you’re faced with that you can either roll over and play dead and make mistakes, or you can forget about it, rise to the occasion by working harder and go after it anyways. It has made us stronger.”–Shayla Worley on the coaching change

Rotation 1

Vault: Arkansas; Bars: Michigan; Beam: UCLA; Floor: Oklahoma

Fashion alert: First place for sparkliness goes to Oklahoma. Second place goes to Michigan. Third goes to UCLA. If there’s a rhinestone shortage in the world, you know why.

Shelby Gies of Michigan: Another beautiful Higgins. (Christa Tanella of Georgia also had a lovely one in the first session.) Solid Tkatchev. Short and archy on bail to handstand. Short on high bar cast. STICKS her double tuck dismount. HUUUUGE cheer erupts from Michigan–almost shrieking screams.

Kaelie Baer of UCLA: Wolf hop to switch side–right leg was higher than her left. Side somi little bobble. BHS LOSO into a NCAA stick–turns to the judges to cover how short she was on the land.

Lichelle Wong of UCLA: Continuous aerial front walkover to BHS. Switch side–right leg a little lower than her left. Throws in a HUGE booty shake at the end while staring at her teammates. No comment. Little bobble on her 1.5 off.

Erica Brewer: Double tuck with a huge bounce back. Front layout to a front full with a little pike. A little form on her BHS going into her double pike to finish. But overall, nice routine.

Katie Zurales of Michigan: Last-minute lineup change. Sachi was supposed to be in her spot. Really has to streeeeeetch for that Deltchev. A few missed handstands. Little hop on double layout.

Brittnee Martinez of Michigan: Her giant full to Tkatchev was HUGE! So much height on that release. Drills her double layout dismount.

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: BHS LOSO into a bend over. Tries to stand up, and bends over again. Big break. She’s too stiff and isn’t absorbing the landings. Front kickover to a pause then to her beat jump. Double tuck with knees together, but chest was low and had to take a step forward.

Madison Mooring of Oklahoma: Opens with a whip half to a Rudi. Nice double stag-ring. Double pike–a little short on the landing and bounces up and forward.

Natalie Beilstein of Michigan: Really hits her bail to handstand and then drills her full-twisting double back.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: Onodi. She’s solid on that skill. Aerial front walkover into a wobble–can’t cover it up. BHS LOSO–little arm movement–needed to be less sickled with her feet. Nice split on her switch leap to split jump to beat jump. Double full dismount with a little bounce.

Brie Olson of Oklahoma: Perfect landing on her double pike. Front layout to Rudi. She’s lighting up the floor–literally with her massive number of rhinestones and figuratively with her performance. She’s bringing it. Rudi to finish.

Danusia Francis of UCLA: Hits her aerial walkover to BHS. Sticks her BHS LOSO to full off. UCLA erupts! It feels like the fans are strategically sitting all around the pavilion so that the cheers echo throughout.

Haley Scaman of Oklahoma: Double layout. Into a double butt shake. Rudi to LOSO. So much intensity in her eyes before this last pass. Takes off on her double tuck at a weird angle and pulls too hard–over-rotating a bit and bounces back into a lunge.

Michigan: 49.400
Oklahoma: 49.275
UCLA: 49.075
Arkansas: 48.975

Rotation 2

Vault: Oklahoma; Bars: Alabama; Beam: Michigan; Floor: Utah

Taylor Spears of Oklahoma: Full-twisting Yurchenko–piked down a bit on the landing.

Shelby Gies of Michigan: One-handed BHS to LOSO. Aerial front walkover. Cartwheel to 1.5 with a hop.

Madison Mooring of Oklahoma: Yurchenko half–small hop forward on the landing. Throws her head back.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Nice Ray release but misses her kip cast handstand after. Bail to handstand. Another miss on her cast handstand on the dismount. Double layout to end.

Brie Olson of Oklahoma: Full-twisting Yurchenko. Hop back on the landing.

Annette Miele of Michigan: Full turn. Aerial front walkover to BHS. A little hesitant on the connection. Beat jump to split/straddle 3/4 with a bend over in the hips. Side somi-ish. Double pike to dismount. Decent step back.

Mary Beth Lofgren of Utah: Double layout with a bit of form in the air. Front layout to front full. She’s also all sparkly–the neckline is reminiscent of the 90s Russian leotards. Pretty short on her double tuck dismount.

Sarah DeMeo of Alabama: Misses her half-pirouette. Little close on her straddle Jaeger. Double layout-smallest of movements with her right foot.

Georgia Dabritz of Utah: Full-twisting double pike. And we have Jaycie Phelps’s old music “The Race.” Whip to a double full. Pulls too hard on her triple twist, forced to take a step back.

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Is this elite? She just did a Tkatchev to immediate Pak! Markelov without much height–almost a toe-scraper. Hop back on the dismount.

Katie Zurales of Michigan: Full turn. Aerial cartwheel to BHS. She’s got a serious beam face–chin up with confidence. Beat jump to a sheep jump. Long pause before her dismount. Sticks her double full. More shrieking ensues… Someone in the Michigan bullpen has quite the set of lungs/vocal chords…

Nansy Damianova of Utah: Double tuck. Struts into the corner in a very Alicia Sacramone manner. Back 1.5 to front layout. Double pike to finish.

Briley Casanova of Michigan: Punch front to a beat jump–much better than yesterday. Tiny wobble on her full turn. BHS LOSO to a pause then a beat jump–not sure if she will receive credit for the combination. Cat leap to switch side–bending over and almost touching her nose to her knees while digging her toes into the beam. She stays on. Those are some strong toes! Gainer full–STUCK.

Oklahoma: 98.550
Michigan: 98.175
Alabama: 49.275
UCLA: 49.075
Utah: 49.025
Arkansas: 48.975

Rotation 3

Vault: Utah; Arkansas: Bars; Alabama: Beam; UCLA: Floor

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: Aerial walkover to a beat jump. Front kickover. Full turn. BHS LOSO. Sticks her double full. A good routine–consistent–nothing flashy, but a good lead-off.

Sophina DeJesus of UCLA: She starts by doing a military salute with a body roll–U.S. Brigadier Generals, I hope that you’re paying attention to the new protocol. I expect the Army to implement this. STAT! Double tuck. You can tell that she was a world champ hip hop dancer. Lots of chest isolations in this routine. Back 1.5 to front layout.

Kaitlyn Clark of Alabama: Wobble on her BHS LOSO. Front kickover to slow connection to beat jump. Back 1.5 form and step on landing

Nansy Damianova of Utah: Yurchenko full–pikes it down a bit.

Georgia Dabritz of Utah: Lands off-center on her Yurchenko full.

Kayla Williams of Alabama: Switch side. Doesn’t throw her beat jump out of her punch front. Long pause before her BHS LOSO–hits it despite struggling yesterday. Full turn. Back 1.5, which she sticks, but she really had to fight for that landing.

Vanessa Zamarripa: Nice, high double pike to start with a trademark soft landing. So many smiles. Rudi to a LOSO–the flip actually rose as she was stepping out. Rudi to finish.

Sarah DeMeo of Alabama: Flyspring mount–nice to see something new. Another great beam face–chin up and confident. A little off on her aerial walkover but hits the beat jump. BHS LOSO. Wobbles on the full turn. Back leg could be a little higher on the switch leap. Double pike with a tiny hop.

Alyssa Pritchett of UCLA: Full-twisting double tuck. Back 1.5 to layout. Oh, she just diva-snapped in her routine. Tiny booty shake in the corner before her double pike.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Switch leap 1/2. BHS LOSO LOSO-stuck cold and punctuated with a big smile. Deep breath before the full turn. Nails it. (I’d be taking a big breath before the BHS LOSO LOSO). Barani on the beam. 1.5 with a small hop. Lovely routine. Lovely!

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Beat jump to a sheep jump. Aerial walkover to a Korbut. Back leg really low on her switch leap and her split jump. Gainer full = STUCK!

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Double Arabian–great landing. Back 1.5 to Barani to LOSO. Good landing! UCLA erupts! Then, she goes into an extended on-floor sequence, which includes a double log roll! (This totally should be in the code of points.) Double pike to finish. More cheers from the UCLA fans!

Oklahoma: 98.550
Alabama: 98.550
UCLA: 98.525
Utah: 98.500
Michigan: 98.175
Arkansas: 97.875

Rotation 4

Vault: UCLA; Bars: Oklahoma; Beam: Arkansas; Floor: Michigan

Sydney Sawa of UCLA: Crooked onto the table but still puts her Yurchenko full to her feet and STICKS!

Hayden Ward of Oklahoma: Low Tkatchev. Nice bail to handstand. Short on her kip cast handstand. Past vertical on her giant full. Double tuck to a stick.

Alyssa Pritchett of UCLA: Bent arms onto the table, but sticks her Yurchenko full. UCLA erupts.

Rebecca Clark of Oklahoma: Little short on her first kip cast. Nice Maloney to bail to handstand. Another sole circle for Oklahoma–common transition for them. Giant full on top of the bar and floats her double tuck to the ground. That giant full was a work of art!

Lichelle Wong of UCLA: Another stuck Yurchenko full. UCLA is bringing it.

Katie Zurales of Michigan: Nice high double pike. Back 1.5 to front full. Lacking dynamics on her leap sequence.

Olivia Courtney of UCLA: Small step with her left foot on landing of her Yurchenko full.

Brie Olson of Oklahoma: The beginning of her routine was spectacular–Deltchev to straddle back to handstand. After sole circle (yet another one in the Oklahoma lineup…), she was short on kip cast. Little step on her full-twisting double layout.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: The fans are waving like birds before her vault. Her aim was to master the Zmeskal technique, but her Yurchenko full looked more like a 1992 Miller vault. She completed the twist and opened into a huge arch–just like Miller–except she didn’t quite have the Miller stick. Hop on the landing.

Taylor Spears of Oklahoma: Hit–slightly past handstand on bail to handstand, but makes up for it by hitting her kip cast handstand.

Sachi Sugiyama of Michigan: Double tuck. Switch side to wolf full. Front full to front layout. Double pike to finish. A consistent routine.

Curious about Michigan’s order–Opens the lineup with a full-twisting double tuck from Natalie Beilstein and puts a simple tumbling routine at the end. Interesting choice.

Erin Freier of Arkansas: Wobble on her aerial cartwheel. Lovely double-stag-ring–head back and nice arch in her back. BHS LOSO–slightly off but adjusts with her arm. Switch leap to split jump. Back leg shaking a bit going into her full turn. She looks nervous. Gainer full with small hop back.

Joanna Sampson of Michigan: Floats her double layout. Fairly simple middle pass: front full to front layout–but after a huge double layout, that’s acceptable. Big double pike to finish. She throws her head back on the lunge, knowing that she hit that routine.

Oklahoma: 148.050
UCLA: 148.025
Michigan: 147.575
Arkansas: 146.875
Alabama: 98.550
Utah: 98.500

Rotation 5

Vault: Michigan; Bars: Utah; Beam: Oklahoma; Floor: Alabama

Katie Zurales of Michigan: Yurchenko full–A little short on rotation on the landing.

Madison Mooring of Oklahoma: BHS LOSO–dead on. A little short of 180 on her switch leap.

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Double tuck. Back 1.5 to front layout. Lands a little short and steps back. Loooong standing pause before her jump double tuck. Legs almost buckle under her on double pike–takes a step back.

Natalie Beilstein of Michigan: Yurchenko 1.5–bent knees on landing and takes a step back.

Lora Leigh Frost of Alabama: Huge double layout. More loud thumping music–Reminds me of when “Animal” from the Muppets plays the drums. I’m in need of another Zen moment–So much thumping today. Double tuck.

Lauren Alexander of Oklahoma: Switch leap to straddle 1/4. Aerial walkover slightly off to back tuck. So much flexibility from this girl–She’s, like, the new Hollie Vise of Oklahoma. Gainer pike.

Austin Sheppard of Michigan: Nice pop off the table. Takes a step back with her left foot on the landing of her full-twisting Yurchenko.

Stephanie Colbert of Michigan: Good full-twisting Yurchenko. Doesn’t quite have the pop that others have though. That said, she stuck it.

Georgia Dabritz of Utah: With Sarah DeMeo’s Eivissa club music blaring in the background, she takes to the bars. Close to bar on Jaeger. Toe-shoot. Nice kip cast before her dismount. Sticks her full-twisting double tuck.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Big SEC tumbling, here we come! Full-twisting double pike. Double pike. Back 1.5 to front full. Everything looked spot on.

Taylor Spears of Oklahoma: A lovely tic-toc. A nice, slow start for a rather rapid routine that moves back and forth across the beam. Onodi to Korbut–cool combo!–really presses down on the Korbut. Switch leap to cat leap–Short of 180 on her leap. Aerial front walkover to beat jump. Gainer with a hop on the landing. Oklahoma has really been 9.8-ing to death…

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: Competing at the same time as Taylor Spears. Here comes more BIG SEC tumbling! Some funky jungle music in the background. Nails her Arabian double front (Not many pointed toes on this skill today… Womp. Womp.) And nails her double pike to end.

Oklahoma: 197.200
Michigan: 196.850
UCLA: 148.025
Alabama: 148.000
Utah: 147.975
Arkansas: 146.875

Rotation 6

Vault: Alabama; Bars: UCLA; Beam: Utah; Floor: Arkansas

Kayla Williams of Alabama: HUGE Yurchenko full but takes a step back.

Danusia Francis of UCLA: Little short on her handstand before her Maloney. Lovely bail to handstand. Nice control on the giant full to a double pike. Small step on the landing.

Kim Jacob of Alabama: Little bit of form coming onto the table. Full-twisting Yurchenko. Little bounce on the landing.

Ashley Priess of Alabama: Off-center on the landing, has to pike down her full-twisting Yurchenko. Hop on the landing.

Sophina DeJesus of UCLA: Keeps her legs together on her Gienger–much improved during the season. Nice bail to handstand. Would like to see more open hips on her giants, but sticks her full-twisting double tuck. UCLA is on fire!

Lauren Beers of Alabama: WOW! BIG Yurchenko full. Step back on the landing.

Diandra Milliner of Alabama: Yurchenko 1.5. Little step on the landing. Not as high as Kytra Hunter, but still a good vault.

Monique de la Torre of UCLA: Over on her cast handstand at the end of her routine. Has to cover by doing a half pirouette into a hop half. Little bit of form on her hop full. Double layout dismount.

Kassandra Lopez of Utah: Needs more split on her opening switch leap. BHS LOSO. And she’s off. Second fall for Utah on beam–Tory Wilson also fell before her. Punch front to a beat jump-ish–didn’t really get her front foot behind. Double full to a hop back.

Vanessa Zamarripa of UCLA: SO much control on her first cast handstand. Lovely Maloney. Bart Conner, Kathy Johnson, and I were salivating over those handstands! It’s like, “BAM! I’m Zam, queen of this arena!” Step forward on the double layout, though. The entire audience let out an, “Oh!” Everyone here seems to be a Vanessa Zamarripa fan. Even the Utah fans were cheering for her earlier. (They definitely deserve a sportsmanship award… They cheer for everyone.)

Georgia Dabritz of Utah: Full turn. Aerial cartwheel-feet turned in a little on the landing and has to adjust. Cross handstand to BHS to LOSO to full. Hop on the landing, but we need more dismounts that take the entire length of the beam!

Katherine Grable of Arkansas: She showed off that Barani stepout! Love! Lovely double Arabian. Lovely double pike to finish. That floor was my everything!

Alabama: 197.350
Oklahoma: 197.200
UCLA: 197.200
Michigan: 196.850
Utah: 196.200
Arkansas: 196.150

And congratulations to Bridget Sloan, our 2013 NCAA All-Around Champion. Being a freshman at Florida is practically like being a magical unicorn. First Kytra, now Bridget.

1. Bridget Sloan 39.600
2. Rheagan Courville 39.575
3T. Emily Wong 39.525
3T. Marissa King 39.525
3T. Joanna Sampson 39.525
3T. Katie Zurales 39.525

Final Semifinal Team Results:

1. Florida 197.775
2. Alabama 197.350
3. LSU 197.325
4T. UCLA 197.200
4T. Oklahoma 197.200
6. Georgia 197.150

Related Links:
Quick Hits: NCAA Semifinals – Session 1
Quick Hits: 2013 NCAA Podium Training
Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis
9 Quotes from Today’s NCAA Press Conference
Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall
Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
Episode 12: Miss Val-Part 2
Episode 11: Miss Val-Part 1
Episode 10: Greg Marsden

It’s the magical day that GymCastic has been ranting and raving about for months. The NCAA Championships have arrived! Today is bound to be Mary Lou Retton great–if not Nadia great.

A lot is at stake. Today will determine who advances to tomorrow’s team final, and the NCAA All-Around Champion will be crowned! Woot! But before we get into all that, I think we should say a little prayer to the gym gods…

Gym gods, please keep everyone safe, and please let the judges be as objective as possible. Amen.

With that said, here are the teams in the first semifinal and their ranking at the meet:

Florida (1)
Georgia (4)
LSU (5)
Minnesota (8)
Stanford (9)
Illinois (12)

The following all-arounders will be competing, as well: Michelle Shealy of Iowa State, Jessie DeZiel of Nebraska, Emily Wong of Nebraska, Aubree Cristello of Arizona, Sharaya Musser of Penn State, and Moriah Martin of Denver.

Announcements:

The Florida fans are decked out in deer hunter orange. They have quite a large cheering section, but it seems that Nebraska has the loudest cheering section.

Rotation 1:

Vault: Illinois; Bars: Minnesota; Beam: LSU; Floor: Florida

Kiersten Wang of Florida: Did a nice double layout to start and looks just off on her front tumbling pass. Lands on the back of her neck punching for a front tuck………… Finishes the routine, though.

Ericka Garcia of LSU: Lovely press handstand to start. BHS to two-foot layout–tries to cover with some arm movements. Shows some nerves going into her aerial front walkover–legs a little shaky. Gainer pike to finish.

Bridget Sloan of Florida: Starts with her extended leg play on the floor. Front double full. Nails it. Double pike to a STICK. Back 1.5 to a front layout. Another stick.

Madie Hanley of Minnesota: Blind change to straddle Jaeger. Way past on her giant full. Short on her handstand on high bar. Double layout. Step forward on the landing.

Ashanée Dickerson of Florida: Arabian double front, picks up her back heel on the lunge. Tsk Tsk. Front through to double tuck. Bounces out of the landing. Here comes the club dance scene. Hits her double pike and ends with a big GATOR CHOMP!

Lloimincia Hall of LSU: Switch side. A little back on her heels and raises her arms. BHS LOSO. Big wobble on her full turn. Showing some nerves on her switch leap to straddle–legs shaking going into the straddle jump. Big step on the double tuck dismount.

Lindsay Mabel of Minnesota: Short on her first handstand. Almost eats bar on her Gienger and has to take an extra kip cast. Not even close on her handstand on her cast before her dismount.

Rheagan Courville of LSU: Gorgeous L-turn. Long wait before her standing Arabian. BHS LOSO. Her switch leap is all kinds of beautiful–well over 180. Takes a long pause before going into her aerial front walkover. She’s a little off, and she knows it–puffs her cheeks coming out of her aerial front walkover.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: Nails her double layout. She’s all smiles. Back 1.5 to front layout to bounder to Shushunova. Then the worm into a GATOR CHOMP! Short on her double tuck.

Bridgette Caquatto of Florida: Holds her hand up like she’s telling everyone to Stop! and marches into the corner. Front double full with mini chopper legs into punch front. Double full as a second pass. Little short on her double pike to finish.

Emily Wong of Nebraska: POMMEL HORSE on beam for her mount! YES! BHS LOSO LOSO. Nails it, and she’s smiling! Wolf to Popa. A little wobble on the Popa–not quite all the way around. Cat leap to switch side. Double pike with a slight hop back.

Florida: 49.325
LSU: 49.000
Illinois: 48.850
Minnesota: 48.825

Rotation 2

Vault: Florida; Georgia: Bars; Beam: Minnesota; Floor: Stanford

Alaina Johnson of Florida: Full-twisting Yurchenko with a little hop back. Also a little leg separation in the air.

Christa Tanella of Georgia: Lovely Higgins turn into her Jaeger. A little short on her handstand on her bail to handstand. A little past handstand on her giant full but STICKS her double tuck.

Marissa King of Florida: Tsuk 1.5 to a big hop on the landing. Still goes 9.9…

Ashanee Dickerson of Florida: Sticks her full-twisting Yurchenko. Her legs were closer together than they were yesterday.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: Her Yurchenko 1.5 is so HUGE. It just floats to the ground. Big hop on the landing.

Shayla Worley of Georgia: Nice bail to handstand. Squat on. Short on handstand. Nice high Tkatchev with pointed toes–something that is missing on many Tkatchevs. Short on her handstand before her dismount. STICKS her double layout.

Ivana Hong of Stanford: Ah, it’s refreshing to hear some classical music after so much loud club music. Double tuck with a soft landing. This floor routine is my Zen moment of the day. Legs glued together. Double pike. Doesn’t drive her heels hard enough on her front full and almost sits down, but she saves it.

Chelsea Davis of Georgia: Here comes the Tkatchev we’ve all been waiting for. Great counter rotation coming over the bar. Swoon! Bail to handstand. Toe shoot to high bar. Full-twisting double back. Little arm swing but doesn’t move her feet.

Lindsay Mabel of Minnesota: Lovely BHS BHS LOSO. Her toes are, like, Ivana Hong pointed on her switch leap. Her straddle 1/4 could have had more shoulder rotation. Sticks her aerial to full off beam.

Sami Shapiro of Stanford: Oh, Sami, I don’t have time for this; I’m “kind of busy.” (Her song is Gaga’s “Telephone”–Terrible joke.) Back 1.5 to front layout. Almost sits it down. Has to fight for the landing. Double pike. Back 1.5 to punch front.

Shannon Golich of Minnesota: Switch leap to straddle 1/4. A little short of 180 on her switch leap. Standing layout stepout. NAILS it. Full turn. Split 1/1. Again a little short of 180. BHS LOSO to full off into a big, archy NCAA STICK!

Ashley Morgan of Stanford: Arabian double front. Landing was spot on. Glow stick rave for the techno music! Front through to a double pike. A little short on the landing. Double tuck. Way over-rotated on the landing.

Jessie DeZiel of Nebraska: All eyes are on her. Aerial front walkover. BHS LOSO–much improved from yesterday. Her knee is a little closer to her face on the landing. Needs to lift her back leg a bit more on her leaps. Cat leap to front kickover. Back 2.5 to a STICK! (Martha Karolyi, did you see that!?)

Florida: 98.775
Minnesota: 97.975
Georgia: 49.500
Stanford: 49.025
LSU: 49.000
Illinois: 48.850

Rotation 3

Vault: Stanford; Bars: Illinois; Beam: Georgia; Floor: LSU

Ashley Morgan of Stanford: Yurchenko half into a ring leap forward–giant bounce out of her vault.

Sarah Persinger of Georgia: Little balance check on her L-turn. Aerial front walkover to beat jump–a little off but keeps the rhythm. BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split 1/4–more of a split jump because she doesn’t turn her shoulders enough. Front kickover–almost off, but uses those super grippy toes to hang on. Back 1.5 with a big hop forward.

Jessie Jordan of LSU: Clean routine–no major errors, but nothing really stood out–Double pike. Front full to front layout. Back 1.5 to front full. Standard.

Noel Couch of Georgia: BHS LOSO. Lifts her back leg on the landing. Switch side. Front kickover to a balance check. BHS BHS to double full dismount. Sticks, but slight bend in the knees throughout.

Taylor Rice of Stanford: Full-twisting Yurchenko into the quintessential Stanford vault bounce.

Ivana Hong of Stanford: Full-twisting Yurchenko. Chest a little low on the landing. Small step. Looks like she jammed her knee a bit.

Maliah Mathis of LSU: HUGE double layout. Front pike to a double tuck–nice to see a little variation on that vault. Little slide of the front foot on the double pike. #tigerpawfinish

Nicole Dayton of Stanford: STICKS her Yurchenko half. A little form coming onto the table.

Brittany Rogers of Georgia: I LOVE me some tic-tocs! Big wobble on the Kochetkova (full-twisting back handspring). BHS LOSO to full off. A bit of an NCAA stick. Momentum going back.

Jessica Savona of LSU: Back 1.5 to a double tuck. Music changes to “Smooth criminal.” Double pike with a chest a little low. Step forward.

Moriah Martin of Denver: HUGE full-twisting Yurchenko! STICK! WOAH! Chest up!

Rheagan Courville of LSU: “I blame it on my A.D.D., baby” (Yes, those are the lyrics to her floor routine. “Sail” by AWOLNATION.) Her Arabian double front rotated sideways. Front through to a double tuck–ran far, so I thought she was going out. Switch ring to tour jete 1/2 was SO precise and just floated to the ground!!! Double pike to finish.

Well, it will be Lloimincia Hall of LSU and Shayla Worley of Georgia at same time. If I were Shayla, I’d be trying to watch Lloimincia out of the corner of my eye.

Lloimincia Hall of LSU: The crowd is yelling for her. Typical height on her double layout. Oh, noes! She does a bit of a Sissone out of her front full–too much power. And then a bit of a shuffle back on her double tuck.

Shayla Worley of Georgia:  LOVE that chin stand start. Beat jump to sheep jump. Trying to cover her slightly off BHS LOSO by swinging her arms. Takes a step on her gainer full.

Emily Wong of Nebraska: I think she’s the only one opening with a triple twist. So beautiful! Nice stag jump out of her front tumbling pass–don’t see too many of those in NCAA. (Thank the gym gods?) Lots of shimmying in this routine, and she nails her final pass and goes into a… you guessed it, shimmy.

Kaylan Earls of Georgia: She nails the heck out of her BHS LOSO LOSO! Beautiful. Then, she does an unidentifiable aerial cartwheel/side somi-thing. Little wobble on her full turn, which leads into a fanning of her face at the end of the beam–beam fluff amuses me. Bit of cowboying on her double tuck.

Florida: 98.775
Georgia: 98.475
LSU: 98.350
Minnesota: 98.000
Stanford: 97.975
Illinois: 97.525

Rotation 4

Vault: LSU; Bars: Florida; Beam: Illinois; Floor: Minnesota

Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto: Beautiful Maloney (toe-on Shaposh) and lovely bail to handstand. Sticks the heck out of her double layout dismount. Florida fans are waving pom pons for that one.

Kaleigh Dickson of LSU: Full-twisting Yurchenko. Little bounce on the landing. LSU gymnasts are shaking pom pons and yelling, “LSU!” for that one.

Marissa King of Florida: Little WILD on the bail to handstand–did almost a 3/4 turn instead of a 1/2. Short on handstand before blind change. Markelov-hit. Little shuffle back on her double layout dismount.

Jessie Jordan of LSU: Little step back on her full-twisting Yurchenko. Knees ever-so slightly bent.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: Hindorff was about as far from the bar as possible…which made for a rough kip cast handstand–a smidge short on handstand out of kip. Chest was really low on her full-twisting double tuck.

Maliah Mathis of LSU: STICKS her Yurchenko half. HUGE smile on her face. That vault definitely deserves an “LSU!” cheer!

Bridgette Sloan of Florida: Her Ray was perfectly caught. Also a little wild on her bail to handstand–not quite a 3/4 turn like Marissa’s, more like a 3/5 turn. STICKS her double layout

Rheagan Courville of LSU: Arms slightly bent onto the table, but she sticks it, clicking her heels together only to accentuate the landing.

Mackenzie Caquatto of Florida: Short on handstand before Maloney. A solid bail to handstand. STICKS the heck out of her full-twisting double back. Florida is on a sticking roll!

Emily Wong of Nebraska: That was, like, Kim Zmeskal good! I hope they showed it on the online stream! Pops off the table, THEN, turns, opens up and STUCK it! Chest was up!

Alina Weinstein of Illinois: All eyes are on her, as she is the only one competing right now. Full turn without a problem. BHS LOSO with a slight hip turn balance check. Aerial front walkover onto her butt. OUCH! Back 1.5 with a small step back.

Lindsay Mable of Minnesota: Opens a little too soon on her double pike and crunches her ankles a bit. She continues. Rudi to straddle jump to punch front. Such a unique pass. Back 1.5 to punch front layout–a little over-rotated but she does an Elise Ray arabesque to cover.

Michelle Shealy of Iowa State: Aerial front walkover to LOSO! Nice to see a unique, hard combo. Full turn–tiniest of bobbles. Cat leap to beat jump to straddle 3/4. Gainer LOSO. Gives a bit of a cheeky smile to the judges before her dismount. Sticks her back 1.5 off.

Kyle Schermann of Minnesota: Whip through to a double tuck. The 90s are back!!! Little trouble on her Popa. Rudi to seat-height LOSO. Double pike to end. The Gophers fans are standing in the crowd, yelling!

Jessie DeZiel of Nebraska: Full-in double pike. Back 2.5 to an open punch front. Tour jete 1/2 to Popa. Needs to pick up the energy at this point in her routine. Double pike to finish. Chest a little low, but lifts it at the end of it. She gives GymCastic favorite Coach Owen Field a big hug.

Florida: 148.300
LSU: 147.850
Minnesota: 147.200
Illinois: 146.500
Georgia: 98.475
Stanford: 97.975

Rotation 5

Minnesota: Vault; Bars: Stanford; Beam: Florida; Floor: Georgia

Rachel Spicer of Florida: Huge pause after her switch leap going into her straddle quarter to her stomach. Not sure if she will get the value… judges are taking a long time to determine her score.

Shona Morgan of Stanford: Missed her Jaeger and has an unexpected close encounter with the mat. Didn’t see the rest of the routine.

Bridget Sloan of Florida: No crotching on her BHS LOSO–like she did in warmups. She smiles after her leap pass. Aerial cartwheel. Double twist–Lifts her leg a little, but doesn’t take a step.

Christa Tanella of Georgia: She STRUTS out on the floor. Double pike. Back 1.5 to Barani to double stag. A little short on her Rudi. P.S.

Kytra Hunter of Florida: No problems on her punch front, which gave her some wobbles yesterday. BHS LOSO–so high, so, so high. Cat leap to switch side. Such a dynamic routine–snappy, keeps moving. Almost sticks her double tuck. Little shuffle back.

Kristina Vaculik of Stanford: This routine was beautiful. After some troubles for Stanford at the beginning of this rotation. They needed that Gienger for a pick-me-up!

Shayla Worley on FX: She opens up with “Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project. The ground sneaked up on her on her double pike. Her second pass is a front double full to a mini Sissone lunge (read: She bounced out of it). Her routine ends with a Rudi and some fist pumping. She runs off the floor pumping her fist.

Jessie DeZiel of Nebraska: Full-twisting Yurchenko. Little Hop on the landing.

Mackenzie Caquatto of Florida: he chin stand is growing on me. Practically perfect BHS LOSO. I don’t think that Mackenzie has ever performed on beam like this–ever. STICKS her double full.

Sami Shapiro of Stanford: Gorgeous routine after a few struggles. Hop on the landing on her double layout. We’ll have to see if that score holds up.

Marissa King of Florida: Opens with a stretched kickover. Hits her acro series, which was giving her troubles yesterday. A little forward on her full turn. Switch leap to straddle 1/4 to stomach. Loooooooooong pause before her double full dismount. Nice routine.

Florida: 197.775
Minnesota: 196.375
LSU: 147.850
Georgia: 147.700
Illinois: 146.500
Stanford: 146.175

Rotation 6

Vault: Georgia; Bars: LSU; Beam: Stanford; Floor: Illinois

Chelsea Davis of Georgia: Full-twisting Yurchenko. STICKS the landing. Great start for Georgia.

Britney Ranzy of LSU: Nice Maloney. A little archy on the bail to handstand. An itsy bitsy short on her cast handstand before her dismount. Smallest of hops on double layout.

Noel Couch of Georgia: A little short on her full-twisting Yurchenko and lands in a butt-out squat. Small hop on the landing.

Ashley Morgan of Stanford: BHS LOSO–smallest of wobbles. Step forward on punch front. Little wobble on jump series. Hop back on double tuck dismount. Not looking as clean as usual.

Cat Hires of Georgia: Tiny step back on full-twisting Yurchenko. Georgia is bringing it on vault!

Brittany Rogers of Georgia: Hop forward Yurchenko 1.5

Kaleigh Dickson of LSU: Good Cal-hop to straddle Jaeger. Bail to handstand. Small hop forward on full-twisting double tuck.

Rheagan Courville of LSU: This is pretty much the same routine as Kaleigh Dickson. (Who decided to put them back to back?) She’s also short on her handstand before the dismount, but she, unlike Kaleigh, sticks her full-twisting double tuck.

Brandie Jay: Small bounce on FTY, but she scrunches her face up in a SCREAM! Teammates are cheering for her.

Sharaya Musser of Penn State: Little bounce on her full-twisting Yurchenko. Her legs were STUCK together. Lovely.

Kristen Vaculik of Stanford: Little wobble on mount. Switch leap to back tuck. Nailed. Precise. Lovely Rulfova. Lifts her head as if to say, “Yup, I just dominated that beam!” But then, she falls off on LOSO.  Double full with hop back.

Emily Wong of Nebraska: Hecht mount. Gienger. Shoot over. Full-twisting double tuck with a hop forward.

Alina Weinstein of Illinois: Sticks her full-twisting double tuck. Little bit of knees and feet in the air. Rudi to LOSO. Nice and light. Before the final pass, nice hairography in the corner with that long ponytail of hers. Double tuck. The Illinois fans are up in their seats, yelling. (Like the Florida fans, the Illinois are also wearing orange, but theirs is a different shade–not deer hunter orange.)

Florida: 197.775
LSU: 197.325
Georgia: 197.150
Minnesota: 196.375
Illinois: 195.700
Stanford: 194.700

Top 3 All-Around:

1. Bridget Sloan: 39.600
2. Rheagan Courville: 39.575
3T. Emily Wong: 39.525
3T. Marissa King: 39.525

After the scores are announced, the fans start cheering “SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC!”

Related Links:

Quick Hits: 2013 NCAA Semifinals-Session 2
Quick Hits: 2013 NCAA Podium Training
Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis
9 Quotes from Today’s NCAA Press Conference
Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall
Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
Episode 12: Miss Val-Part 2
Episode 11: Miss Val-Part 1
Episode 10: Greg Marsden

Los Angeles, CA–Los Angeles traffic tsuks, but I have made it to Pauley Pavilion–just in time to see the start of Training Session 1.

Lloimincia Hall is on beam. Strugggles to square her hips on her layout stepout. She does another–same problem again.

Rheagan Courville is a little crooked on her standing Arabian, but the rest of her routine looked lovely. Her split position on her jumps is impeccable.

Kytra Hunter‘s double layout on floor is incredible. Chest up on the landing. The same with Bridget Sloan’s double pike.

Emily Wong looks focused and determined. She means business in Pauley Pavilion. She nails her series: BHS LOSO LOSO. We don’t see enough of those. Coach Heather Brink is not satisfied with Emily’s shoulders on her Popa, though. More leap series for Wong.

At the last minute, Lloimincia Hall hits her series and lands a lovely double tuck dismount.

Rotation 2

Between rotations, LSU coach Jay Clark is goofing around, doing the Night at the Roxbury head thrusts.

Jessica Savona does a run through to her Michael Jackson music. Throws her 1.5 through to double tuck.

Generally speaking, LSU looks strong on floor, which is to be expected.

Marissa King doesn’t quite get her feet up quick enough on her Tsuk 1.5 and goes around to the side, but still makes it to her feet. Her second attempt is much better.

Kytra Hunter does a huge Yurchenko 1.5 to her feet. She has room to spare on the landing. (Wouldn’t be awesome if she learned an Amanar?) She has the smallest of steps on her second attempt.

Ashanee Dickerson does a high Yurchenko full. Form going onto the table and runs out of the landing.

Mackenzie Caquatto‘s vault looks much improved. Nice rise off the table.

Coach Stephenson gives Lindsay Mable correction on her acro series (BHS BHS LOSO)–problems with squaring her hips. No problem the next time she jumps up on the beam.

Jessie DeZiel of Nebraska has done roughly 7 layout stepouts. Really struggling to get her hips square today and to get the right amount of height and rotation. But in her last time up on the beam, she nails her acro series.

LSU chooses to spend their last minutes on floor dancing around and goofing around. They look relaxed today.

Rotation 3

Over on bars, Florida is sticking the heck out of their dismounts. Mackenzie Caquatto‘s routine, though short, really is beautiful. You can see that her toes are completely pointed from across the arena.

Marissa King‘s Markelov/Khorkina looks much higher than usual. Khorkina would approve.

Jessie DeZiel appears to be having an off day. (Good thing it’s today–not tomorrow). Lots of form on her full-twisting double pike on floor and mighty close to the line.

Like Wong, Alina Weinstein of Illinois looks focused. Really trying to stick those landings on beam. Needs a little more split in her jumps.

With 3 minutes left in the rotation, Ashanee Dickerson misses her release and belly flops. Gets up and finishes the rest of her routine. Other than that, Florida looked really strong on bars–as expected. The next rotation (beam) will be telling.

Rotation 4

Rachel Spicer starts the beam rotation. Has her elbow wrapped.

As Spanny said, Bridget Sloan is like butter on the beam. Her tumbling is so smooth and confident. A few wobbles from time to time.

Ashanee Dickerson missed a one-handed BHS LOSO, but she gets up and nails it during her second time up. She lands her leap series rather flat footed.

Kytra Hunter is a little wobbly on her punch front onto the beam. She does NOT look happy about it. Next time up, she nails her mount cold. A little wobble on her BHS LOSO. Again, NOT happy. Kytra clearly came here to win.

Britney Ranzy of LSU just seems so light on the bars. Her bail to handstand floats in the air, and her toe on to handstand just kinds of pops up into the air.

Jessie Jordan does a lovely straddle Jaeger but biffs her toe shoot to high bar, ending in a belly flop.

Emily Wong is nailing her handstands on bars. Again, she looks like she is looking ready to compete.

Marissa King drills her layout to two feet on beam, but has a wobble on full turn. During her next turn, she sticks her double full. She also warmed up her laid out kickover. She looked a little surprised–like the ground sneaked up on her.

With 3 minutes left to go, Minnesota and Illinois are stretching. LSU and Florida are still training on bars and beam, respectively.

Training Session 2

Rotation 1

Georgia will be starting on vault. Alabama will be starting on bars. Stanford will be starting on floor. And Utah will be starting on beam.

Fashion Alert Alabama is wearing pastel pink t-shirts for warmups. New school color? I wonder how the football team would feel about that…

Greg Marsden is not in sight as the second training session starts.

Hey! There’s Kristen Maloney! She’s trying to work Shealy into Georgia’s vault rotation.

Ashley Sledge is the first gymnast to really hit a routine for Alabama. Becca Alexin is next on bars. She’s a little short on several handstands. Also a little over on her half pirouette on the low bar, and the same with her giant full on the high bar into her double tuck. The first 3/4 of her giant full is on top of the bar, but as she shifts her weight to her second hand, she moves past vertical.

Alabama is going to need to perform better if they hope to win the meet.

Brandie Jay and Ashanee Dickerson of Florida have similar Yurchenko technique. Straddled onto the vault and kick their legs together to generate twist.

Stanford has not really shown much tumbling. Dance throughs for Nicole Dayton, Taylor Rice, Ivana Hong, Sami Shapiro, Ashley Morgan, and Kristina Vaculik. Looks like Stanford is not concerned with the bounciness of the floor on podium.

Rotation 2

Fashion Note: Alabama’s leotardsThe front has a light pink A. The back is hot pink and black checker pattern in the form of an X. It’s definitely a mullet leotard–business in the front and party in the back.

Lauren Beers of Alabama lands her punch front really low and is off.

Sarah DeMeo has a few problems during her first turn on beam. Wobbles on her aerial front walkover and doesn’t square her hips before her dismount timer. That’s something to watch in the next few days. Her double pike has a tendency to rotate sideways because of her sometimes crooked roundoff technique.

Kim Jacob nails the heck out of her BHS LOSO LOSO series. No movement whatsoever.

Christa Tanella‘s Higgins turn on bars is looking divine as always. Just needs to hit the last handstand before her dismount.

Sarah DeMeo‘s first double pike looked square. Glad to see the improvement!

With 10 minutes to go, Stanford is done on vault. Just a few standing layouts/fulls off the vault.

Lauren Beers falls on her two-foot layout. Gets up and does it again. Nails it the second time around.

At first, it seemed like Kayla Williams was having a terrible, no good, very bad day during beam. First time, fell on her BHS LOSO. Then, she fell on her punch front. Later on, she hit both skills. Must feel like a relief!

Georgia is handing its bar rotation with a complex of kip cast handstands. Both Shayla Worley‘s and Christa Tanella‘s were on top of the bar.

Brittany Rogers is having a few problems today. Her steps were off during vault warmups. Now, she caught her Ricna a little close to the bar. Then, she almost missed the high bar on her shoot, and as she was going for her dismount, she banged her foot on the low bar. Ouchies!

LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem came on, and Christa Tanella is dancing up a storm. WERK, GIRL! WERK! Of all the competitors, she looks the most relaxed.

Kayla Williams is back on beam with one minute remaining. She fell on her punch front. She doesn’t look happy. She does another one. Her feet are turned in on her landing, but she saves it. The same with her BHS LOSO. And yet another punch front from Williams with a step on the landing. She looks nervous.

Rotation 3

Ashley Priess’s whistles during her floor music are deafening. Sarah Persinger of Georgia is on beam doesn’t seem fazed.

Noel Couch does a BHS stepout BHS RIGHT next to Brittany Rogers on the landing mats. I thought there was going to be a collision. Brittany did not blink.

Like Mackenzie Caquatto, Ivana Hong and Sami Shapiro have gorgeous lines on bars. Their toe point is phenomenal. We shall see if Sami can place second on bars like she did last year.

Alabama is throwing some big tumbling passes on floor, but all of them–Lora Frost on her double layout, Lauren Beers on her double layout, and Kim Jacob on her full-twisting double pike–are landing with their chests a little low.

Stanford is performing full bar routines. Seriously, Kristina Vaculik‘s Gienger needs its own Twitter handle. It’s that good. Unfortunately, from my vantage point, I cannot see bar dismounts to see if Stanford is sticking them. Looks like Sami Shapiro just did one–piked it down and landed short.

Danna Durante is talking to Brittany Rogers, trying to calm her down. She retreats to the end of the podium and visualizes her routine with the chalk.

Lora Frost just did a double layout with a spot. Much improved–chest up much higher.

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” just came on. I thought I’d see more enthusiasm from the ‘Bama girls, but they are rather subdued.

Sami Shapiro does another double layout, which she pikes down and takes a step. Looks like the timing is just slightly off. Releasing a little too soon. Ivana Hong does the same thing.… Alex Archer is the last gymnast warming up. She sticks her double layout, and Stanford lets out a cheer. It seems that Stanford knows that they need to stick if they are going to advance to the Super Six.

Rotation 4

We’re only 3 minutes into this rotation, but Stanford is looking sharp on beam. Shona Morgan, Ivana Hong, and Kristina Vaculik have nailed their BHS LOSO. The sticking streak ends when Taylor Rice comes off on her acro series.

So far, Alabama looks good on vault. Arms are straight and extended coming onto the table during their timers. Only Lauren Beers was a little crunchy/headspringy coming onto the table.

Nansy Damianova of Utah is lovely on bars, but her handstands are always a smidge short. A little form on the full-twisting double back. No Grips Dabritz, on the other hand, was hitting her handstands. I have no clue how she swings bars without grips. All in all, Utah is looking a lot stronger on bars. Much improved during the season.

Now that Alabama is throwing their competition vaults, minor technical errors are showing up. A few of the girls are twisting while their hands are still on the table. Lauren Beers just did a vault, and she did a better job of separating the block from the twist. It doesn’t look like Alabama is trying to stick their vaults today.

Amanda Spinner of Stanford is ON today. NO movement on her BHS LOSO. A little cover-up on her gainer LOSO. She’s probably hoping to make it to finals on beam again. Kristina Vaculik‘s Rulfova looked quite square. Sometimes she is slightly off, but not today!

Kayla Williams is the last gymnast vaulting for Alabama. Nice, vertical block. She could easily stick that in a meet.

Georgia is ending its floor rotation by doing abs. Badass.

WERK, KRISTEN MALONEY! WERK! Wiz Khalifa’s “Work Hard, Play Hard” came on, and she just started krumping or something.

Becky Wing of Stanford is doing beam. I don’t think that she will bein Stanford’s lineup, but she’s warming it up just in case. Her beat jump to double-stag ring was lovely. Her head was back, and her hips were nice and open.

Session 3

Rotation 1

UCLA’s Peng Peng Lee and Vanessa Zamarripa are having a dance off to B.O.B’s “Magic.” Meanwhile, Oklahoma is doing hollow body rocks in synch. Oh, and Miss Val just did a few go-go dance moves to LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem.

Warmup Fashion Statement: Danusia Francis and Monique de la Torre are wearing baby blue leg warmers. (It is cold in the Pavilion today.)

UCLA will start on beam. Arkansas will start on vault. Michigan will start on bars. And Oklahoma will start on floor.

Haley Scaman on floor: Her double layout makes me smile. Chest up. Legs glued together. Couldn’t ask for more.

Early in the beam training session, UCLA is getting out their nerves. Sydney Sawa has little balance checks on her leaps. Kaelie Baer breaks on her side somi.

Shelby Gies of Michigan has a little arch during her giant full and then sits down her double tuck. I think she could have saved it; it was her first full turn.

UCLA clears off the podium, and the girls do full beam routines with 12 minutes remaining. Lichelle Wong is a little slow on her aerial walkover to BHS connection. Small hop on her back 1.5. Vanessa Zamarripa almost comes off on her Onodi. Pulls a Leyva and bails on her leap pass and laughs. Danusia Francis practices EVERYTHING in training. All those smiles at the judges are present. Small hop on her BHS LOSO to full dismount.

Right now, Michigan is kind of a mixed bag on bars. Brittnee Martinez of Michigan does her giant full right on top of the bar. A little of bent knees going into the Tkatchev. Sachi Sugiyama had her legs glued together on her Gienger, but has a few problems on her Pak salto. Natalie Beilstein misses her Gienger. Katie Zurales has to streeeeeeeeetch it out to catch her Deltchev. As Tim Daggett would say, “finger-tip control.” Then, she’s over on a cast handstand.…

Natalie Beilstein catches her next Gienger, and legit sticks her full-twisting double tuck. Nice! Next turn, Zurales‘s Deltchev looks much better, but she’s over on her bail to handstand. The next gymnast (cannot see who it is) tries to finish her giant full in handstand, but she’s over. Sugiyama does two more Pak saltos–both are much better.

Vanessa Zamarripa is back up on the beam and hits her Onodi. Her BHS LOSO is spot on. Randy Lane is yelling, “Spectacular! Oh my gawd!”

The UCLA trainers are BUSY between rotations! Gotta tape up Danusia Francis, Vanessa Zamarripa, and Olivia Courtney.

 

Rotation 2

Oklahoma does an interesting vault warmup. The coaches hold an 8-inch about a foot above the table and the girls do a timer onto their feet, and as the gymnast’s body falls to the ground, the coaches let go of the mat.

Michigan is having minor problems on beam. Brittnee Martinez is looking slightly off on beam. Wobble on her aerial cartwheel and takes a big step off to the side on her 1.5 dismount. Joanna Sampson does a lovely aerial cartwheel to a Sissone. Katie Zurales is struggling to throw her aerial carthweel to BHS. Finally does it and nails it. Briley Casanova is a little slow to connect her punch front to beat. The punch front was spot on, though.

Katherine Grable did a spectacular piked Jaeger, but was short on her handstand on her shootover. Missed her handstand on her blind change to her double front. Nearly sticks her double front. I bet that she hits it in competition.

I’m loving the number of double pikes we’re going to see off beam. Annette Miele‘s was nice and high. Pulled a little too hard and had to take a few steps back.

Danusia Francis is warming up floor–complete with all her smiles. Almost sits down her front tumbling pass. Finishes with a smile, though.

The injury is not inhibiting Vanessa Zamarripa‘s tumbling. With both ankles taped, Vanessa just did her Rudi to LOSO without problem.

Rotation 3

We’re seeing some big gymnastics this rotation. Brie Olson just warmed up her full-twisting double layout off bars. Joanna Sampson‘s double pike on floor might be the biggest one I’ve seen all day. Chest nice and high.

Oklahoma is looking strong on bars. Their mistakes, for the most part, have been rather minor. Rebecca Clark, for instance, missed a handstand and was a little archy on her toe-full. Erica Brewer also had a fantastic routine with one handstand that was just a smidge short. Brie Olson tried to be too perfect on her straddle back to handstand and had to come off. That’s been their biggest mistake so far. Oh, and during next turn, she HIT her straddle back to handstand! Then, she tried to be too perfect on her handstand on high bar and went over. And again! Oh noes!

But the Oklahoma girls are really going for the stick. We’ve seen a couple so far. Keeley Kmieciak has been a STICKING machine on her full-twisting double tucks.

Reema Zakharia just stuck her running punch double front on floor.

Rotation 4

Danusia Francis starts UCLA off on bars, and our Twitter follower Madison Mooring starts off Oklahoma on beam.

A skill to watch: Lauren Alexander‘s scale on beam. It’s so unusual in NCAA and so pretty.

Right now, Oklahoma is looking like they are ready to challenge on beam. Rebecca Clark just did a lovely, continuous aerial front walkover to Korbut, and Taylor Spears just did an Onodi to a Korbut (backhandspring swing down). KJ Kindler is fun to watch. She’s so in the zone. She’s sticking the landings with her girl, bending her knees as Rebecca Clark lands.

Vanessa Zamarripa is the epitome of control on bars. Her bail to handstand makes me want to yell, “Whee!” because it just kind of floats down to the low bar. The UCLA girls are back to cheering. Danusia Francis just stuck a double pike, and they let out a little cheer. Sophina DeJesus also stuck her full-twisting double tuck. If I saw correctly, Olivia Courtney unfortunately broke the sticking streak.

If the title comes down to a battle between Oklahoma and Florida, as some think, this could come down to a battle of sticking double tucks on beam. Right now, Keeley Kmieciak has thrown one and over-rotated it. Erica Brewer has done two. A little shaking in the legs on the first one, but the second one was better with a little step.

Brie Olson hits her roundoff layout with 2 minutes left. Almost sticks her dismount–aerial to full off.

Monique de la Torre has a little form on her hop full and way past vertical, but she nails her double layout dismount. UCLA cheers again. Actually, strike that, it’s not UCLA cheering. It’s just Randy Lane. He’s definitely the team cheerleader.

2 seconds left, and Brie Olson is taking her last turns on beam–wants to make sure those hips are square coming out of her roundoff going into her two-foot layout.

And thus concludeth podium training. Arkansas has quite the gathering of fans. They end training with a “Go hogs!”

Related Links:
Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis
9 Quotes from Today’s NCAA Press Conference
Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall
Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
Episode 12: Miss Val-Part 2
Episode 11: Miss Val-Part 1
Episode 10: Greg Marsden

Today was the first NCAA press conference with the head coaches. Below you’ll find a few of their comments.

Each head coach had the opportunity to share some opening remarks. Here are a few noteworthy comments:

Valorie Kondos-Field of UCLA: “Everybody knows how Regionals has become such a stressful meet. Well, when you lose three of your top athletes for the season, it becomes even more stressful. So, we are more than thrilled to be coming back to the Big Dance, and looking at our session, we have been beat handedly by three of the teams in that session… We know that it’s going to be a blood bath to get to the Super Six, and we’re really excited for that challenge.”

Miss Val was referring to Peng Peng Lee (torn ACL and MCL), Samantha Peszek (torn Achilles), and Mattie Larson (knee dislocation).

Megan Marsden of Utah: “Here at Utah, we’re also very proud that we’ll be sending a team to Championships for the 38th straight year. It is a burden that our athletes carry that streak, but we were really proud of them to get through Regionals. The young team that we have assembled this year really had to step up when they lost their team captain, Corrie Lothrop.”

Leah from the Salt Lake Tribune asked Danna Durante about the coaching transition. Here is a small portion of Danna’s response.

Danna Durante of Georgia: “Ultimately, this year has been about building relationships with those young people. For them to trust their coach, you have to have a relationship with them, and certainly that was priority number one.”

We asked Rhonda Faehn about difficulty and deductions in Florida’s routines.

Rhonda Faehn of Florida: “You know, that’s always something that we consider when we’re starting to do the routine composition and construction in the fall. We’re going to put skills out there that our athletes feel 100% confident in. Be it that there are three double layouts in our floor lineup, but we feel confident that those girls are able to compete aggressively and consistently. But at the same time, we really want to have balance and make sure that these athletes are able to do the difficulty with the performance factor, the execution… I just think that the balance we have allows them to feel comfortable out there and confident with what they’re doing.”

As a follow-up, we asked Rhonda about Marissa King’s 9.8 scores on her Tsuk 1.5:

Rhonda Faehn of Florida: “It’s hard. That’s frustrating for me as a coach. You can ask anyone, that’s just so much more of a challenging vault as far as the entry, and the challenge is that you’re not able to get a very even, square-shouldered block like you would on a Yurchenko. You’re coming off of one arm, and therefore, it’s not going to be not quite as high when the judges compare it to Yurchenkos. But I definitely feel that–for those who have done that vault–they know that it is not going to be as high as Yurchenkos. It’s a little bit frustrating, but at the same time, Marissa is just the type of athlete that is very passionate and will do everything and wants to just continue to do it. And she does it well… She has nailed it the last couple of meets, so I’m hoping that she gets rewarded for the level of difficulty for that one.”

Allison of Inside Gymnastics asked Meg Stephenson about recruiting a team of excellent Level 10 gymnasts. Here’s part of her answer:

Meg Stephenson of Minnesota: “We do really recruit for potential, and the reason is because we really love coaching. So, we really look for athletes we feel have a lot of untapped potential, but obviously have had a great start with good, clean basics and good lines and have those wonderful, God-given gifts that sometimes are hard to teach.”

Vanessa Zamarripa fell on her beam dismount at Regionals last weekend, and we asked Miss Val about the injury.

Valorie Kondos-Field of UCLA: “Vanessa has a sprain in her foot/ankle, between the fourth and fifth metatarsus of her foot, and it’s all along that side of her foot and into her ankle. So, she’s not training yet. She just got out of a boot. She’s got a steel plate in her tennis shoe, and she said, ‘I’ll be fine.’ So [sigh] she’ll be fine.”

After uncharacteristic mistakes from seniors Vanessa Zamarripa and Monique de la Torre, we were curious whether there would be any changes to UCLA’s lineup.

Valorie Kondos-Field of UCLA: “No, hopefully not. We don’t have anyone else to put in. No, we’re planning on going with the same team, and they’re actually training really well.”

In February, Oklahoma scored a season-high 198.375, which made us wonder about peaking.

KJ Kindler of Oklahoma: “We did hit that great score mid-season. That competition was against UCLA, and honestly, we had–as they did–an amazing night. I don’t know if it was the stars, the moon, or whatever you want to say. But everybody was nailing it, and landings were amazing. It was just that one meet that you have that it’s almost like nothing could go wrong. Obviously, that’s the place you want to be next weekend. We understand and know that peaking in gymnastics is a difficult thing, and we do have a philosophy of peaking early–very early in the year and starting off very hot. It’s something that I think our program needs to do in order to make a statement. It’s something that we continually do. We come out in the beginning of the season at a certain level. And then we come down a little. And we go up a little. And then we come down a little. And I think that we are back on our up side.”

Uncle Tim will be at the meet doing quick hits and interviews. So, check back here next week. In the meantime, here is the women’s NCAA TV schedule:

Saturday, April 20, 7pm ET-Super Six Team Finals, ESPN3 (Online)
Sunday, April 21, 4pm ET-Individual Event Finals, ESPN3 (Online)
Tuesday, April 30, 8pm ET-Tape Delay, ESPNU